Reviewed by: う~りん
I can't catch even a mahi-mahi, let alone a marlin. Wouldn't it be better to move the boat closer to where the baitfish are? Am I watching too much of "Ooma's Tuna Fishing" on TV? (laughs)
カジキどころかシイラすら釣れん
もっとナブラしてる付近に船移動させたら釣れるんと違うの?
“おおまのマグロ漁”TV見過ぎかな(笑)
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| Packages: | 【混載ツアー】4時間 |
| Attended as: | Families |
| Posted on: | 2025/07/22 |
| Activity Date: | 2025/07/20 |
Reviewed by: Mook10
This was by far the most memorable thing our family did on the Big Island, it’s got to be one of the most amazing things we’ve ever done together. Stop reading this review and go book your trip now. You won’t regret it.
| Rating: | |
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| Packages: | Night Manta Discovery Adventure |
| Attended as: | Families |
| Weather: | Sunny |
| Posted on: | 2025/07/21 |
| Activity Date: | 2025/07/19 |
Reviewed by: Steph
We are a family of 4 with 2 teenagers, we had a great time with our guide at the stargazing tour. Our highlights were the lava caves, watching the sunset as well as stargazing. The sky was unbelievable and we learned a ton with our very knowledgeable guide.
Highly recommend.
| Rating: | |
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| Packages: | From Hilo - Rainbow Falls, Kaumana Caves, Solar Viewing & Stargazing with Dinner |
| Attended as: | Families |
| Weather: | Cloudy |
| Posted on: | 2025/07/20 |
| Activity Date: | 2025/07/18 |
Reviewed by: AJH
Pros: pig roast being done onsite, got to witness uncovering and presentation of the pig. (my son hated this portion!). menu and performances were both great! I liked different island nations being represented in music and dance and a little bit of story telling/history to tie it together. performance was good length and sunset was gorgeous! desserts and beverages were also delicious.
Cons: attempted to check in entire luau at one time slot. made for a lot of time waisted waiting in hotel lobby check in line. check in inside and then second check in outside felt redundant. we arrived at 5:22, email confirmation had suggested 5:30 check in, but spent several (20+ minutes) waiting to check in. by the time we arrived in luau area, we missed the 'activities' portion of the luau. we also missed the royal entrance of the luau show. we did however have great seats so first-come-first-seated wasn't an issue.
brief meet and greet with performers after the show felt rushed -- they were spread along exit sidewalk and available for a quick picture but were ushering us along immediately, without any chit chat -- which is a huge difference compared to other luaus.
professional photography of your party was an additional $25 for digital download. fresh lei's were an additional $10 each, which in my opinion were reasonably priced but I've had digital photography and leis included at other similarly-priced luaus.
having dined at this marriott the night before and spoken to several guests in the week it seems this particular marriott has become quite overpriced for the level of service and age of property it's become. it has an outstanding location, but is overpriced for the level of service or hospitality i've experienced at other similarly priced marriotts in the islands. pool and restaurants were crowded and bonvoy perks were lacking/zero. kids meals were reasonable, but got charged $10 each for kids scoop of vanilla icecream.
go earlier than confirmation email suggests if pre-show activities or royal entrance are important.
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| Packages: | Ohana Package |
| Attended as: | Families |
| Weather: | Cloudy |
| Posted on: | 2025/07/19 |
| Activity Date: | 2025/07/15 |
Reviewed by: AJH
Captain and crew of Ocean Encounters 1 dove in ahead of guests, made a plan, and navigated us there. Honestly, we had a great viewing spot and several other boats' guests were eager to move into our spot upon our exiting. Boats are staggered and have a neighborly way of communicating where/when/how each group will be staggered but I would have been disappointed to be in one of the peripheral groups. These are wild animals, so no telling what each evening will look like, but was glad to have a captain who led the charge.
Tips: It is a bit of a rough ride for 20 mins out and approx 20 minutes back. If you are someone who suffers from carsickness or seasickness, highly recommend treating for that before you leave. We had 2 of 30 guests puking over the sides. I gave my carsick kiddo dramamine about an hour before-- no issues.
Do have inexperienced family members practice snorkeling ahead of tour so that they can spend the entire 45 minutes head down in the water enjoying the fish and rays and the learning is done in a pool or bay ahead of time. There were zero swimming skills necessary on this trip but knowing how to calmly enjoy breathing through a snorkel for an extended period was the difference between guests who really enjoyed and guests who didn't. There was a surfboard with handles that the group held on to, which was pulled into position by the guides.
Do warn your kiddos that these rays are HUGE. My youngest expected small 3-4 foot rays like we have in our aquarium and was initially very surprised (terrified) by the 12-15 wingspan on some of these beautiful creatures. They got right up in our personal bubble/faces/immediately underneath bellies and legs so do be ready for up-close amazing experience.
Do not bring a bunch of stuff/items as they end up dripped on and/or in the way. If the weather is warm all you need is shoes that are okay getting wet/dripped on, and a towel. They provided water and light packaged snacks on the return trip.
Take more pictures and consider taking and sharing photos with fellow tour guests.
| Rating: | |
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| Packages: | Standard Package: Sunset Manta Snorkel |
| Attended as: | Families with Young Children |
| Weather: | Sunny |
| Posted on: | 2025/07/19 |
| Activity Date: | 2025/07/16 |
Reviewed by: DanMar
Just got back from our tour, but if you're questioning of splurging, take these into consideration: these are based on my experience tonight.
1) liking the convenience of a tour guide driving to the summit. But if the sunset view is what you’re after- you can drive to the summit yourself. Everyone follows the rule of leaving the observatory after sunset. Totally understandable. STUNNNNING views. Keep in mind it’s gravel paved and quite treacherous at night- but doable.
2) huge upset: if stargazing is what you’re after- like me. I was disappointed that they only show THREE views through telescope. Three. That’s it. First was a cluster of random stars. Second, after math of a super nova. Third was millions of stars what believed to be pulled in by a black hole. Amazing stuff, but that’s all you get. I was reading other previous reviews and they seem to enjoy more bang for their buck. The tour guide did go over the constellations using a laser and showed some stars in the sky without needing the telescope- but if you’re wanting to see planets, stars up close, we were limited to three.
3) food was okay- salty lasagna. Just save some few bucks and bring your own food.
4) bundle up-long sleeve and pants, close toe shoes is a must. It gets cold at night. They do offer parkas and gloves.
Would I want to do this again? Not after tonight. It was overpriced for what they offer.
| Rating: | |
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| Packages: | Mauna Kea Sunset & Stargazing Tour with Dinner |
| Attended as: | Couples |
| Weather: | Sunny |
| Posted on: | 2025/07/15 |
| Activity Date: | 2025/07/14 |
Reviewed by: Duncan Miller
Sam was fantastic - really gave us all an exceptional tour of the night sky and was very knowledgable and great with the kids too!
| Rating: | |
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| Packages: | From Kona & Waikoloa - Solar Viewing & Stargazing with Dinner |
| Attended as: | Families with Young Children |
| Weather: | Sunny |
| Posted on: | 2025/07/15 |
| Activity Date: | 2025/07/13 |
Reviewed by: Kara
Watching these huge sized manta rays glide beneath us was surreal! Best experience hands down.
| Rating: | |
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| Packages: | Manta Ray Night Snorkel with Sunset Cruise |
| Attended as: | Families |
| Posted on: | 2025/07/14 |
| Activity Date: | 2025/06/11 |
Reviewed by: Family Reunion
They were in plain sight with a fun and warm greeting. Everyone enjoyed the great surprise.
| Rating: | |
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| Packages: | Small Group Lei Greeting Package (2 to 7 participants) |
| Attended as: | Families with Young Children |
| Weather: | Sunny |
| Posted on: | 2025/07/13 |
| Activity Date: | 2025/07/11 |
Reviewed by: Las Vegas Family
They were right at baggage claim in plain sight. Happy warm full greeting. Great Leis were beautiful.
| Rating: | |
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| Packages: | Small Group Lei Greeting Package (2 to 7 participants) |
| Attended as: | Families with Young Children |
| Weather: | Sunny |
| Posted on: | 2025/07/13 |
| Activity Date: | 2025/07/11 |
Reviewed by: Rained out
Of course you can’t predict rain in Hawaii but you can have spots to seek cover. The event did pass out rain plastic but only once at the beginning and we did not get any.
Once the rain passed there was no attempt to wipe chairs so even if the rain stopped you were still soaked.
The hurried the show to see a quick fire dancer set but that was not that good.
Even without the rain you couldn’t see. The tables in rows made it difficult. The food was ok. The drinks didn’t not taste like any alcohol was in them just super sweet drinks. Overall I was not happy with the event.
Look for a smaller venue.
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| Packages: | Royal Kona Resort - Standard Luau Package |
| Attended as: | Couples |
| Weather: | Rainy |
| Posted on: | 2025/07/12 |
| Activity Date: | 2025/06/18 |
Reviewed by: LK
Zip line over 250 foot waterfall. Great fun. Mirabell & Calista were fantastic guides, made our day.
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| Packages: | Zipline Adventure |
| Attended as: | Couples |
| Posted on: | 2025/07/12 |
| Activity Date: | 2025/07/10 |
Reviewed by: Kara
Highlights included walking through Volcanoes National Park, seeing steam vents and lava fields up close, the stunning black sand beach at Punaluʻu, and panoramic views over Waipiʻo Valley.
| Rating: | |
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| Packages: | Grand Circle Island & Volcanoes National Park |
| Attended as: | Families |
| Posted on: | 2025/06/30 |
| Activity Date: | 2025/05/31 |
Reviewed by: Kara
It’s a long day, but absolutely packed with jaw-dropping sights and well-paced stops.
| Rating: | |
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| Packages: | Grand Circle Island & Volcanoes National Park |
| Attended as: | Families |
| Posted on: | 2025/06/30 |
| Activity Date: | 2025/05/31 |
Reviewed by: Slcude
We usually skip tours and try to experience places through the locals, soaking in real culture over curated stops. But this tour into Waipio Valley with Forrest changed everything.
From the start, it was clear this wasn’t a typical tour. Forrest’s love for the valley, his deep knowledge of its history and sacredness, and his powerful storytelling made us feel connected to every inch of this land. He didn’t just drive us through—he invited us in.
The peace we felt in Waipio was unreal. Waterfalls, wild horses, taro fields… all of it wrapped in a stillness that felt spiritual. We walked away with more than photos—we walked away with perspective and gratitude.
If you get the chance, go. And hope Forrest is your guide. It’s an experience we’ll never forget.
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| Packages: | Waipio Valley Shuttle & Off-Road Tour Package |
| Attended as: | Families |
| Weather: | Sunny |
| Posted on: | 2025/06/30 |
| Activity Date: | 2025/06/28 |
Reviewed by: Fogg family
We’ve done a few ziplines in other states and I can say this was one of the best. David and BoBo were fun, friendly and professional. They made our experience a memorable one.
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| Packages: | Standard Package: Treetop Canopy Zipline Adventure |
| Attended as: | Families with Young Children |
| Weather: | Sunny |
| Posted on: | 2025/06/27 |
| Activity Date: | 2025/06/24 |
Reviewed by: Kate
We only found out about this tour because we knew a local person. There’s no sign at the road near the bay as to where to turn or park. Parking cost $38 in the public beach parking area. Once you get to the parking lot, there’s no sign as to where the boat is docked or where the kiosk for the tour company is. One girl working the kiosk told us that they didn’t offer glass bottom boat tours; the kiosk name matched our reservation. The website is very unfriendly. The tour guide was good but the captain could go a bit slower when over a reef so that we unfamiliar with it can focus our eyes to see the fish.
Be prepared for wading in the water to board the boat.
Aloha,
Thanks for taking the time to provide feedback about your experiences with us. We're sorry you found us difficult to find -- we aren't allowed to post signage so we do the best we can with our emailed and texted directions, and our reservationists are standing by the phone lines to help with those last minute directions too. The public parking lot at the south end of the beach is still free...but parking a bit closer at the Lava Lava restaurant will incur fees.
We're also sorry you found the website difficult to navigate (not sure if you're referring to Veltra's website or our own website) -- we encourage anyone with issues to contact us directly by phone or email.
We'll pass your feedback on to our captain regarding the boat's speed, and we're also investigating the issue where you were told we don't operate Glass Bottom Boat Cruises.
We appreciate your comments.
Mahalo for joining us!
| Rating: | |
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| Packages: | Waikoloa Glass Bottom Boat Cruise |
| Attended as: | Friends |
| Weather: | Sunny |
| Posted on: | 2025/06/25 |
| Activity Date: | 2025/06/23 |
Reviewed by: Lago Lobster
The best thing we did in Hawaii. The manta rays were so close & there were so many. Cannot recommend enough.
| Rating: | |
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| Packages: | Night Manta Discovery Adventure |
| Attended as: | Couples |
| Weather: | Sunny |
| Posted on: | 2025/06/24 |
| Activity Date: | 2025/06/17 |
Reviewed by: Debo
Kool show super packed parking was crazy I recommend parking off site because 200 people plus a fishing tournament and whatever else is happening in the area leaving at the same time it took 45 min just to get out of the parking lot.
If parking is limited something else is going on in the area leaving will be not fun
| Rating: | |
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| Packages: | Ohana Package |
| Attended as: | Couples |
| Weather: | Sunny |
| Posted on: | 2025/06/24 |
| Activity Date: | 2025/06/22 |
Reviewed by: Jonah
This was a great experience. Getting to see the observatories and look out over the clouds above everything on the Big Island was really amazing. Watching the sunset and then doing some star gazing was awesome. Very happy with everything.
| Rating: | |
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| Packages: | Standard Package |
| Attended as: | Solo Travelers |
| Posted on: | 2025/06/22 |
| Activity Date: | 2025/06/20 |
Reviewed by: CA Girls
We had a fun time on our canoe adventure and snorkeling at a special area with just the 3 of us. We saw a lot of beautiful fish and our snorkel gear was great! Our guide Kai was very friendly and attentive to our safety on the canoe and in the water. It was a bit tough for us to get back into the canoe after snorkeling but he worked with us and we made it!! We thoroughly enjoyed our trip and it will be a very special memory for us all! Thank you Kai!
| Rating: | |
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| Packages: | Standard Tour |
| Attended as: | Families |
| Weather: | Sunny |
| Posted on: | 2025/06/21 |
| Activity Date: | 2025/06/19 |
Reviewed by: EWJames
This team is top notch, they took us to a great location. They provided a wealth of information on mantaray's while we prepared for the event. We had so much fun.
| Rating: | |
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| Packages: | Night Manta Discovery Adventure |
| Attended as: | Couples |
| Weather: | Sunny |
| Posted on: | 2025/06/18 |
| Activity Date: | 2025/06/12 |
Reviewed by: EWJames
We had so much fun on this tour. Really great snorkeling. We found eels, puffer fish, and even an octopus.
| Rating: | |
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| Packages: | Afternoon Kealakekua Snorkel Tour [3.5 hours] |
| Attended as: | Couples |
| Weather: | Sunny |
| Posted on: | 2025/06/18 |
| Activity Date: | 2025/06/14 |
Reviewed by: EWJames
The greeter was friendly and on time. I surprised my wife for our anniversary.
Aloha & mahalo for your positive feedback! We hope you folks had a wonderful anniversary and return to the islands in the future! Aloha
| Rating: | |
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| Packages: | Small Group Lei Greeting Package (2 to 7 participants) |
| Attended as: | Couples |
| Weather: | Sunny |
| Posted on: | 2025/06/18 |
| Activity Date: | 2025/06/08 |
Reviewed by: Chrissy
From the captain to his crew to the boat, it was all perfect. We had the perfect day even with a 17 month old with us. The crew and captain Dante were so accommodating and welcoming. We would definitely recommend this tour for your family.
| Rating: | |
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| Packages: | Afternoon Kealakekua Snorkel Tour [3.5 hours] |
| Attended as: | Families with Young Children |
| Weather: | Cloudy |
| Posted on: | 2025/06/15 |
| Activity Date: | 2025/06/12 |
Reviewed by: John & Leena Western Australia
We enjoyed a great day learning and exploring the Volcanos, Craters, Lava Tubes. The bus was clean and on time, the tour guide (Torrie) was really good and informative. The lunch was really good as was the dinner. Overall it was a great experience. I would definitively recommend this company and tour.
Good walking shoes and light jacket.
| Rating: | |
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| Packages: | Elite Volcano Hike from Hilo Hotels |
| Attended as: | Couples |
| Weather: | Cloudy |
| Posted on: | 2025/06/15 |
| Activity Date: | 2025/06/14 |
Reviewed by: KAN
We enjoyed a relaxing sunset together as a couple. The boat hardly swayed, so we didn't get seasick at all.
夫婦2人でゆったりゆっくりとサンセットを満喫しました。殆ど揺れることもなく船酔いにもなりませんでした。
| Rating: | |
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Weather: | Sunny |
| Posted on: | 2025/06/14 |
| Activity Date: | 2025/05/21 |
Reviewed by: Fam
We had a great time paddling out to a snorkel spot, jumping overboard for a snorkel with Toa! He was a great guide and really patient with us. :-)
| Rating: | |
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| Packages: | Standard Tour |
| Attended as: | Families |
| Weather: | Sunny |
| Posted on: | 2025/06/14 |
| Activity Date: | 2025/05/22 |
Reviewed by: Fei
The shuttle was late by 15min because of "an issue with some customers at the previous pickup location." I personally don't think the shuttle should wait if someone is late by more than 5min.
But James was a cool tour guide, told us a lot about the island and his personal experience/stories. A funny guy to talk to and helped take pictures, gave us sandwiches, served hot cocoa, and adjusted the telescope for us when someone wanted to look at a specific star
| Rating: | |
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| Packages: | Standard Package |
| Attended as: | Solo Travelers |
| Weather: | Cloudy |
| Posted on: | 2025/06/12 |
| Activity Date: | 2025/06/10 |
Reviewed by: ミミ
I highly recommend this luau. I was very satisfied with the delicious food and entertainment.
The process starts with checking in at the hotel, after which you are guided to outdoor party tables. Before the show begins, there is a drink bar and interactive activities. You can enjoy free games, a dance experience, and watch the digging up of kalua pig, which is cooked in an underground oven called an imu. Everyone was taking lots of videos and photos! Please note that this activity ends fairly early.
The buffet meal is followed by the grand entrance of King Kamehameha from the sea, and the show starts on stage! There are plenty of dances and songs inspired by Tahiti and Samoa, the ancestors of Hawaiians. The final fire dance was breathtaking. The emcee speaks entirely in English, but I think you can enjoy it fully even if you don't catch everything.
To be honest, I hesitated about whether to participate due to the price, but I ended up being very satisfied.
◆ One point to note is to arrive early for check-in. Check-in starts at 5:15 PM, but when we arrived at 4:45 PM, there were already about ten groups in line. Seating is assigned in the order of check-in, and you proceed to the activities from there, so if you check in late, it might be difficult to participate in the activities.
こちらのルアウはとてもお勧めです。
美味しい食事とエンターテイメントを楽しめてとても満足しました。
流れとしてはホテル館内で受付後、野外のパーティテーブルに案内されます。
ショーが始まる前にドリンクバーと参加型のアクティビティがありました。無料のゲーム、ダンス体験やイムという地中の釜で料理したカルアピッグ(豚の丸焼き)を掘り出す様子を見られます。皆さんビデオや写真をたくさん撮っていました!
このアクティビティははやい時間で終わってしまいますので注意が必要です。
ブッフェのお食事、海からのカメハメハ王の登場に続いてステージでショーがスタート!
ハワイアンの祖先であるタヒチやサモア風のダンスや歌が盛りだくさん。最後のファイアーダンスは圧巻でした。
司会はすべて英語ですが、すべてを聞き取れなくても充分に楽しめる内容だと思います。
正直なところ、お値段的に参加するかどうか迷いましたが結果は大満足です。
◆注意点は早めに受付に行くことかと思います。
受付スタートは17:15-ですが、私たちが16:45に行った時にはすでに10組ほどが並んでいました。席は受付順で案内され、その流れでアクティビティに進むので、受付が遅くなるとアクティビティ参加がむずかしくなるかもしれません。
I didn't feel much of a language barrier. Enjoy the unique luau that Hawaii has to offer!
言葉の壁はそれほど感じませんでした。
ハワイならではのルアウを楽しんでください
| Rating: | |
|---|---|
| Attended as: | Others |
| Weather: | Sunny |
| Posted on: | 2025/06/10 |
| Activity Date: | 2025/06/08 |
Tips and suggestions
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I would skip the boiling pots when water level is low as there is nothing to see.